After All
by That One Condition
Summary: Casey sees a side to Derek she never knew was there. Dasey. Uses "Wonderwall" by Oasis.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek or Oasis. They would make awesome gifts though.**

Casey came home early that day. Usually she stayed after school to study or get additional help from her teachers, but today she just wanted to come home.

It was quiet. George was at a conference, Nora had taken Lizzie out shopping for new soccer equipment, and Edwin was at a friend's.

Casey wasn't sure where Derek was. Normally he would be at hockey practice, but hockey season ended last week. She assumed he was hanging out somewhere with Sam and Ralph.

She hung her jacket up and started up the stairs. She saw Derek's door was open. She looked inside his room as she walked past, and was surprised.

Derek _was_ here. He was sitting on his bed with his back to her. His guitar was beside him on the bed and he was writing in his notebook.

She snuck past so he wouldn't hear her. She was relishing in the peace and didn't really feel like getting in an argument right now.

She went inside her bedroom, leaving the door open, and sat down on her bed. She heard soft guitar chords coming from Derek's room. It was unlike anything she had ever heard him play before. She walked to her door and stood in her doorway to hear better.

_Today is gonna be the day  
__That they're gonna throw it back to you_

She got lost in Derek's voice. He had never sounded like this. His voice was soft, like he had never used it before. It was beautiful, and vulnerable.

_By now you should've somehow  
__Realized what you gotta do  
__I don't believe that anybody  
__Feels the way I do about you now_

_Backbeat, the word was on the street  
__That the fire in your heart is out  
__I'm sure you've heard it all before  
__But you never really had a doubt  
__I don't believe that anybody feels  
__The way I do about you now_

_And all the roads we have to walk are winding  
__And all the lights that lead us there are blinding  
__There are many things that I would  
__Like to say to you  
__But I don't know how_

Casey wished more than anything she could see him right now, but she didn't want him to see her and know she was listening. This was too private.

She'd never felt so much emotion from him before. His voice grew stronger.

_Because maybe  
__You're gonna be the one who saves me  
__And after all  
__You're my wonderwall_

Casey's eyes started to water and she was afraid she was going to cry.

_Today was gonna be the day  
__But they'll never throw it back to you  
__By now you should've somehow  
__Realized what you're not to do  
__I don't believe that anybody  
__Feels the way I do about you now_

_And all the roads that lead to you were winding  
__And all the lights that light the way are blinding  
__There are many things that I would like to say to you  
__I don't know how_

Casey leaned up against her door frame and closed her eyes as Derek's strumming got louder.

_I said maybe  
__You're gonna be the one that saves me  
__And after all  
__You're my wonderwall_

_I said maybe  
__You're gonna be the one that saves me  
__And after all  
__You're my wonderwall_

_Said maybe  
__You're gonna be the one that saves me  
__You're gonna be the one that saves me_

Casey wiped her eyes and stood up straight.

_You're gonna be the one that saves me_

Casey let out a long breath of air that she didn't realize she'd been holding. She wanted to go into Derek's room right now and ask him...a lot of things. Who was that song about? Why hadn't he sang like _that_ for the battle of the bands?

But she could never let him know that she'd heard his song...he would hate her for sure.

But didn't he already hate her? What did she have to lose?

Casey stepped quietly into the hallway and walked over to Derek's room. She knocked softly on his open door and he jumped.

He turned around to face her and she saw his face was bright red.

"W-what are you doing here?!" Derek stuttered embarrassedly, trying to regain his composure.

"I came home early..."

Now that he was right in front of her, Casey didn't really know what to say. Derek set his guitar on it's stand and waited for her to explain what she was doing in his room.

"Did you write that song?"

"Yes. Can you go now?" Derek glared at her, but there was something softer behind it.

"I just wanted to tell you it was really beautiful. Who did you write it about?" Casey almost didn't want to hear the answer now that she'd asked.

"You wouldn't know her."

"Are you sure? Try me."

"Well, she's an over-bearing and bossy keener who knows everything except when to mind her own business."

Casey didn't know what to say. Derek just glared at her while she turned red.

"Maybe I should go back to my room."

"Too late."

"You seriously wrote that song about me?"

"Well, are you an over-bearing and bossy keener who knows everything except when to mind her own business?"

"I can be, at times."

"Then yes, I seriously wrote that song about you."

She smiled slowly and walked over to his bed and sat down. He smiled back and laced his fingers in hers.

**Okay, so they didn't make out or anything. That's because it's LOVE not LUST. You can just use your imagination for all the fluffy lovey-dovey stuff that happened later, m'kay? Thanks.**


End file.
